A Career of Taping Ankles and Much, Much More

David Craig ’69

For 38 years David Craig ‘69 built a remarkable career working in the NBA’s Indiana Pacers organization as Head Athletic Trainer, Team Administrator and Assistant to the President.  In semi-retirement David continues to do consulting work for athletic staffs around the country.  He has maintained his license to practice in the state of Indiana and is certified by the national Board of Certification that credentials athletic trainers.

For his many accomplishments and his lifelong contributions to his field, Dave has been honored as a Significant Sig.

Multiple Honors

Brother Craig was inducted into the National Athletic Trainer’s Association Hall of Fame in 2016.  He has also been honored with the Purdue University Health & Human Sciences Distinguished Service Award, received the “Doc” Counsilman Science Award for USA Basketball, and selected for the state of Indiana’s highest service award, the Sagamore of the Wabash.

In 2010 the NBATA established an annual award to honor an assistant athletic trainer of the year as “The David Craig Assistant Athletic Trainer Award”.  Dave has also been named NBA Athletic Trainer of the Year, served as the NBA’s Eastern Conference All-Star Athletic Trainer in 1984, 1985 and 1996, and is part of the Indiana Pacer’s Wall of Fame.

Olympic Sports

Along with David’s work in the NBA, he has also been the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team Head Athletic Trainer during the 2004 Olympics held in Athens, Greece.   He has also served as an athletic trainer for USA Basketball’s U17 and U16 teams.  Over the past 35 years David has been a volunteer athletic trainer for USA basketball, track & field, gymnastics and football.

Inspiring the Next Generation

David Craig has worked with various charities in support of ABA players, the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana, children attending Camptown, the Pacer’s student athletic trainer workshop, and the Linda Craig Athletic Trainers Scholarship Fund.

We are very proud to have David receive this recognition for making a significant difference in his chosen field of endeavor.